Archived 96 Ram Low Power Won't Hold RPM

[EBerry]

Hi everyone,



I could use some help.



My 96 2500 is currently running, but tonight on my 4 hour trip home I noticed it had low power going up hills and when I tried to accelerate the tach would only go up to about 2300 RPM and then fall back down to 2000 almost instantly.



It got me home of course, but it would only hold the RPM at about 2000. The truck seems to be shifting fine, the engine temp, exhaust gas temp, and transmission temp all seem to be normal. One thing I did notice is that the oil pressure guage was fluttering sparratically. I could see no pattern to what the guage was doing. Sometimes it would stay at a constant 40 psi for 1/2 and hour, then it would jump all over the place between 0-40 psi. The truck did not seem to run any differently at different oil pressures (I assume it is a faulty sending unit, but I really don't know). I stopped a few times to check the oil just to be on the safe side and there was no change.



Any advice or help you could give would be much appreciated. Please reply when you can.



Thanks,

Ezra

 

[Missouri Mule]

I take it you got an auto trans. I take it you don't have boost gauge(but if exahust temp was OK then boost should of been Ok.

Lift pump could be going but they seem to just go not die slowly. Best thing to do is take fuel pressure test (squeeze the rubber retrun line with pliers if pressure goes up it is the overflow valve if it doesn't or goes up slowly lift pump that is if fuel pressure is not at 20 psi minimum

to about a l,ittle over 25 when you rev it to 2000 rpm should be in the 30s).

Could be Governor or it's springs (should take you to 3000 rpm but some are not set right. Mine takes me to 2750 rpm).



But first change your fuel filter see if that cures the problem!!!!



Oil presssure sending unit or wires, you could oil pressure test if you want to first but they do wierd things when they start to go.

 

[Sticks]

Would a creeping or out of adjustment shutdown solenoid cause this?

I would agree with a fuel issue as well. Notice any smoke out the tailpipe?

When it was at 2000rpm did it sound like it was still smooth or choking on itself? More to point was there any change in the engine sound at all?

The 12v and other symptoms does give me pause about a potential KDP falling out. Broken tooth on one or more gears (causing the P-pump drive gear to hop a tooth) and landing in the oil pump. Extremely unlikely, but I've seen stranger things.

 

[EBerry]

Thanks for the quick response. I do have an auto trans and a boost guage (that was reading normal).

It did cross my mind about the fuel filter and I will change that today. It has been about a year, and I did just fill up before I noticed the problem.



If that doesn't work I will do the fuel pressure test.



Thanks,

Ezra

 

[EBerry]

No, I didn't notice any unusual smoke, and the sound was pretty smooth. Really the engine didn't sound out of the norm.



I did the KDP repair kit when I first bought the truck 5 years ago so I think I am all set with that.



Thanks for the help,

Ezra

 

[EBerry]

I changed the fuel filter today. It actually looked like the old one was leaking a bit.

The truck now holds 2650 RPM out on the highway. Today the truck wasn't freighted like it was last night, but either way it held the RPM.



Also, the oil pressure guage didn't flutter at all.



Thanks again,

Ezra